Corn-planter.



No. 679,557, Patented Iuly 30, |90I. E. E. ENGLUND.

BURN PLANTER.

(Application filed Feb. 13, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

Patented luly 30, I90I.

E. E. ENGLUND.

CORN FLANTER.

l(Application led Feb. 13, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNTTEE STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ERNS'l EMIL ENGLUND, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE D. M. SECI-ILER CARRIAGE COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,557, dated July 30, 1901.

Application filed February 13, 1901. Serial No. 47,186. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it nza/y concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST EMIL ENGLUND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seeding Devices for Corn-Planters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to seeding devices for corn-planters, and particularly to the seeding devices which are located in the bottom of the seed box or hopper, consisting, generally, of a seed-plate or rotary seed-ring containing seed cups or pocket-s, a cover-plate, and accompanying devices.

It relates more particularly to that class of seed-valves in which the grains of corn are received one at a time in pockets in the seedplate and by the rotation of the seed-plate deposited one at a time into the ground through the medium of the seed-tube and accompanying mechanism. It is a well-known fact that while grains of corn differ considerably from each other in their length and width they differ much less in their thickness-that is to say, in their narrowest diameter-and that therefore seeding devices of the character above described which are so designed as to receive grains of corn one at a time edgewise into the seed-cups and which are so shaped and constructed as to only receive a grain of corn in that position are much more accurate in the depositing of corn and much surer to :receiveinto each seed-cup one grain of corn and only one, and, as was said, to insure an accurate dropping.

My invention therefore relates, further, more particularly to seeding devices which are adapted to receive grains of corn one at a time edgewise into the cups upon the seedring or seed-plate; and it is an object of my invention to provide a seed-plate and accompanying devices which will insure the delivery of the grains of corn edgewise into the seed-cups and will insure each seed-cup receiving one grain of corn and only one.

It is another object ot' my invention to provide a new and improved form of seed-ring or seed-plate which will insure the delivery of grains of corn edgewise to the seed-cups and the dropping into each seed-cup of one grain of corn and only one.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved form of seed-plate and cover-plate which will insure the delivery of the grains of corn edgewise to the seedcups and the delivery into each seed-cup of one grain of corn and only one.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved form of seed-valve and cover-plate which will agitate the cornin the seedboX, and thereby assist in insuring the delivery of grains of corn edgewise to the seed-cups and the delivery into each seedcup edgewise of one grain of corn and only one.

I accomplish these objects as hereinafter specified, and as illustrated in the drawings.

That which I regard as new will be set forth in the claims.Y

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan View of a seedbox with my improved seedplate and cover-plate locatedin position therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a new and improved seed-plate.

4 indicates the seedboX, shown in Fig. 2 as cut away.

5 indicates the bottom of the seedbox, secured to the sides et in any appropriate manner. The bottom 5 is provided at its top with a sloping surface (5, which slopes downward and inward, as is best shown in Fig, 2, for a suitable distance. Below the sloping surface 6 is an upright portion 7, which forms a circular ring, within which and in close proximity to which the seed-plate hereinafter described revolves.

8 indicates a circumferential shelf or shoulder upon which the seed-plate rests and rotates. y

9 indicates a gear-ring which rests upon a circular rabbet l0 in the bottom 5 of the seedbox, so as 4to rotate thereon. The gear-ring 9 is provided with gear-teeth Il, which project below its lower surface into a suitable circular recess 4l2 in the bottom of the seedplate.

13 indicates a beveled gear which projects through a suitable opening in the bottom of the seed-plate to engage with the gear-teeth 'in Fig. 2,

11 of the gear-ring 9. The vbeveled gear 13 is secured to a suitable shaft 14, which is driven in any well-known and approved way.

15 indicates an annular seed-plate, which rests upon the shoulder 8. The seed-plate 15 is provided on its under surface with a circumferential shoulder 16, which has suitable slots in it to engage with lugs 17 upon the gear-ring 9, so that the seed-plate 15 may be rotatated with the rotation of the gear-ring. The slots and lugs may be of any well-known and approved form and construction. As is best shown in Fig. 2, the seed-plate 15 is formed with its upper surface beveled downward from its center-that is to say, sloping downward from its inner edge toward its periphery and is provided upon its outer surface with a number of seed-cups 18, which are cut into the seed-plate from its exterior periphery, so as to be open at vthe outer periphery of the seed-plate. The seed-cups 18 are elongated circumferentially and narrow radially of the seed-plate and are of such width radially as to receive a grain of corn edgewise, and only edgewise, therein, and are of such length circumferentially of the seed-plate as not to receive more Athan one grain. They ar/e also of a sufficient depth tolv receive a single grain of corn standing edge-l wise therein. rlhe seed-cups also, at a short;

distance above their bottoms, are recessed.

inward and outward of said plate, so as to: provide enlargements 19, as is best shown in order to assist the delivery ofy grains of corn into the seed-cups. The portion 7 of the seedbox 6 when the seed-.plate 15 is in position is close to the outer periphery of the seed-plate, so as to prevent the; escape of the grains of corn from the seedcups and hold them upright therein during the rotation of the seed-plate 15 until'they:

pass under the cut-o and are dropped into. the seed-tube. The upper surface of the' seed-plate 15 is cut so as to form a number, of ridges 20. The ridges 20, as is best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, are preferably slightly curved and extend outward from the in nerv 'experience'may demand.

21 indicates a cover-plate which is mounted upon a boss or stud 22, projecting upward from the bottom 5 of the seedbox, and is secured theretoby ascrew 23 and thumb-nut 24. The cover-plate 21 is provided with cut-off mechanism A25, which may be of any approved form' and construction, and hence is not shown in detail here. The cover-plate 21is provided on its outer periphery withl a number of projecting teeth or fingers 26, which, as is best shown in Fig. 1, are shaped somewhat like the teeth of a circular saw and project diagonally outward from the periphery of the cover-plate 21 to a point near the outer periphery of the seed plate 15, whereby grains of corn carried around by the seedplate cannot pass between the outer extremities of the fingers 26 and the inner surface of the 'bottom of the seedbox except when standing partially edgewise. The outer surface of the teeth or fingers 26 is preferably curved, as is best shown in Fig. 1, and starts from the outer periphery of the circular por- .tion of the seed-plate upon a line substantially tangential thereto, and the said outer edge of the ngers 26 is beveled slightly backward and inward, as is best shown in Fig. 1. The fingers 26 project from the periphery of the circular portion of the cover-plate 21in a direction'opposite to that of the ridges 20 in the seed-plate 15, so as to cross the same, as is best shown .in Fig. 1. The upper surface of the cover-plate 21 is beveled or sloped downward and outward from its center toward its periphery, and .the fingers 26 are bent downward, so that their under surfaces conform to the upper surface of the seedplate 15 and lie in close proximity thereto, but not close enough, of course, to prevent the free rotation of the seed-plate 15, in order to prevent the passing or wedging of any grain of corn between said ngers and said seed-plate. The number of the fingers 26 may be varied, of course, to suit the demands of the case, as experience may dictate. In order to assist in the delivery of the grains of 'corn into the seed-cups, the seed-plate 15 is provided with bevels 28, 'cut in advance of said seedcups and sloping downward and inward toward said seed-cups.

The operation of the devices above shown and described is as follows: The seed-plate 15 being rotated in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 1, the ridges 2O pass continuously below the fingers 26 and operate in connection with the fingers 26 to stir or agitate the corn in the seedbox. By means of the surfaces of the cover-plate and seed-plate sloping downward from the center toward the periphery the grains of corn constantly tend to fall or slide toward the inner periphery of the seedbox into the recess formed between the sloping portion 6 of the seedbox and the cover-plate 21. As the ridges 2O strike the grains of corn lying upon the seedplate they tend to carry them forward in the direction of the rotation of the seed-plate,

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and as the ridges 20 so carry the grains of corn forward they bring them against the outer surfaces of the fingers 26, which slider the grains of corn outward toward the periphery of the seed-plate. In case any seed-cup has not already been filled with a grain of corn Vstanding edgewise therein the action of the fingers 26, as the grains'of corn are carr-ied forward by the seed-plate and slid outward by the ngers, is to tip any grain of corn which may be lying iiat upward on edge as it is carried by the rotation of the seed-plate to the point of the iinger, and as the seedcup, which may be empty, passes by said finger to urge the grain of corn edgewise into said seed-cup, thereby insuring each seed-cu p receiving one grain of corn, and only one grain, standing edgewise therein. As the seed-cups,thus holding each a single grain of corn edgewise, pass under the cut-off devices the cut-off operates in the usual way to hold back the surplus grains of corn and to prevent more than the one grain contained in the seed-cup from passing under the cut-off and into the seed-tube, and as the seed-cup passes over the discharge-opening 27 (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l) the grain of corn is discharged from the seedbox into any appropriate seed-tube, which may be of any approved form and construction and which deals with the corn so received in any welllrnown and approved manner.

The number of seed-cups in the seed-plate will of course be varied, according to the nature of the work done, and preferably are either twelve or sixteen in number, according to whether the above-described devices are used in a check-row planter or whether it is desired to drop three or four grains of corn at a time into the seed-tube.

It is obvious that the seeding devices above described may be used either in a drill-planter, in which case the seed-ring will be continuously driven, or in a check-row cornplanter, in which case the seed-ring may be intermittently driven in any approved manner, so as to empty the desired number ot' seed-cups with each partial rotation, or the seed-cups may be so arranged on the periphery of the seed-plate that the seed-plate may be driven in any well-known and approved manner, so as to deposit a given number of grains for each operation of any check-rower devices that may be used.

I have shown the ridges on the upper surface of the seed-plate as slightly curved and running outward in a direction which starts on a line substantially tangential to the inner periphery of the seed-plate and the fingers on the cover-plate as extending diagonally outward therefrom, with their outer sides slightly curved and projecting from the coverplate in a direction which starts out upon a line substantially tangential to the periphery of the cover-plate, and this is the shape and construction which I prefer to use. The angle or direction of said ridges on the upper' surface of the seed-plate and of said fingers on the cover-plate may, however, each or both be varied considerably from this tangential line without departing from the spirit of my invention as long as the said ridges on the seed-plate and the lingers on the cover-plate when the parts are in position cross each other at such angle that when the seed-plate is rotated the point of intersection will movev outward toward the periphery of the seedplate, so as to agitate the corn in the hopper and also tend to carry the grains of corn onward in the direction of rotation of the seedcups and outward toward the periphery of the seed-cups. The ends of the fingers extending as they do so near the inner sides ofthe seedcups as to prevent single grains of corn lying flat from passing between the ends of the iingers and the ring exterior to said seed-cups tend to turn such grains of corn up on edge as they pass the fingers, so as to insure the delivery of single grains standing on edge into the seed-cups. I have also shown the seed-plate with the seed-cups cut in from its outer periphery and with the circular wall, which when the parts are in position forms the ou'ter side of the seed-cups, as stationary and a part of the bottom of the seedbox. It is obvious also that this construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention in this respect, provided the seed-cups when the parts are in position are elongated circumferentially and narrow radially of said seed-plate, so that each seedcup may receive only one grain of corn standing on edge therein.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A seed-plate provided with seed-cups and having on its upper surface a plurality of ridges extending across its upper surface diagonally of the radii of said seed-plate, substantially as described.

2. A seed-plate provided with seed-cups at its outer periphery and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of ridges extending across its upper surface diagonally of the radii of said seed-plate, substantially as described.

3. A seed-plate provided at its outer periphery with seed-cups adapted to receive each a single grain of corn standingon edge therein, and having on its upper surface a plurality of ridges diagonal of the radii of said seedplate, substantially as described.

4. A seed-plate provided at its periphery with seed-cups adapted to receive each a single grain of corn standing on edge therein, and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of ridges diagonal of the radii of said seed-plate, substantially as described.

5. rlhe combination with a seed-plate provided with seed-cups at its outer periphery, of a cover-plate provided with a plurality of fingers extending outward from its periphery and diagonally of the radii of said cover-plate, and with their outer ends extending outward to points near the inner side of said seed` cups, substantially as described.

G. The combination with a seed-plate having at its outer periphery seed-cups adapted to receive each a single grain of corn standing edgewise therein, 0il a cover-plate provided with a plurality of fingers extending IOO IIO

outward from its periphery and diagonally of the radii of said cover-plate to points near the inner edges of said seed-cups, substantially as described.

stantially as described.

8. The combination with a seed-plate having seed-cups adapted to contain each a single grain of corn standing on edge therein, and having its upper surface sloping down- Ward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of ridges thereon, of a cover-plate provided with fingers extending outward from its periphery to points near the inner edges of said seed-cups across the ridges on the upper surface of said seed-plate, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a seed-plate having seed-cups adapted to contain each a single grain of corn standing on edge, and provided on its upper surface with ridges extending across said upper surface diagonally of the radii of said plate, of a cover-plate having upon its outer periphery fingers extending outward across said ridges in said seed-plate to points near the inner edges of said seed-cups, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a seed-plate provided with seed-cups adapted each to contain a single grain of corn standing on edge, and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of ridges extending across said upper surface diagonally of the radii thereof, of a cover-plate provided with fingers extending outward from its periphery to points near the inner edges of said seed-cups and extending diagonally of the radii of said cover-plate in a direction opposite to the direction of said ridges in said seed-plate, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a seed-plate provided with seed-cups adapted each to contain a single grain of corn standing on edge, and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of ridges extending across said u pper surface diagonally of the radii thereof, of a cover-plate having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with fingers extending outward from its periphery to points near the inner edges of said seed-cups and sloping downward toward their points over said seed-plate, and extending diagonally of the radii of said cover-plate in a direction opposite from that of the ridges on said seed-plate, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a seed-plate pro-` vided with seed-cups adapted each to contain a single grain of corn standing on edge,'and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of curved ridges extending across said upper surface diagonally of the radii thereof, of a cover-plate having its upper surface sloping downwardtoward its periphery and provided with curved fingers extending outward from its periphery to points near the inner edges of said seed-cups and sloping downward toward their points over said seedplate, and extending diagonally of the radii of said cover-plate in a direction opposite from that of the ridges on said seed-plate, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a seedbox, of a seed-platerotatably mounted in said seedbox, and having at its periphery seed-cups adapted each to contain one grain of corn standing edgewise therein, and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of ridges thereon, and a cover-plate provided with fingers extending outward from its periphery and across the ridges of said seedplate to points near the inner sides of said seed-cups, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a seedbox, of a seed-plate rotatably mounted therein, and

having on its periphery seed-cups adapted to contain each one grain of corn standing edge- .wise therein, and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of ridges thereon diagonal of the radii of said seed-plate, and a cover-plate provided with ngers extending outward from its periphery and downward so as to lie in close proximity to said seed-plate and across the ridges in said seed-plate, substantially as described.

15. The combination with a seed-plate having seed-cups at its periphery and provided with ridges on its upper surface, of a coverplate provided with fingers extending outward from its periphery and having their operative edges crossing said ridges, whereby, when said seed-ring is rotated, the point of intersection between said ridges and the operative edge of said ngers moves outward toward the periphery of said seed-plate, substantially as described.

16. The combination with a seed-plate having seed-cups at its periphery and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with ridges, of a cover-plate provided with a plurality of fingers extending outward from its periphery and having their operative edges crossing said IOO IIO

ridges, whereby, when said seed-ring is rotated, the point of intersection between said ridges and the operative edge of said fingers moves outward toward the periphery of said edge and having ridges on its upper surface, of a cover-plate provided with a plurality of iingers extending outward from its periphery and having their operative edges crossing said ridges, whereby, when said seed-ring is rotated, the point of intersection between said ridges and the operative edge of said fingers moves outward toward the periphery of said seed-plate, substantially as described.

1S. The combination with a seed-plate having at its periphery seed-cups adapted each to receive a single grain of corn standing on edge therein and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of ridges, of a coverplate provided with a plurality of fingers extending outward from its periphery to points near the inner sides of said seed-cups and downward over said seed-plate and having their operative edges crossing said ridges, whereby, when said seed-ring is rotated, the point of intersection between said ridges and the operative edge of said iingers moves outward toward the periphery of said seed-plate, substantially as described.

19. The combination with a seedbox, of a seed-plate rotatably mounted therein and having on its periphery seed-cups adapted to contain each one grain of corn standing edgewise therein, and having its upper surface sloping downward toward its periphery and provided with a plurality of ridges thereon diagonal of the radii of said seed-plate, and a cover-plate provided with fingers extending outward from its periphery and downward so as to lie in close proximity to said seed-plate and across the ridges in said seed-plate and extending outward to points near the inner sides of said seed-cups, substantially as described.

ERNST EMIL ENGLUND. lVitnesses:

JOHN C. TUNNICLIFF, WILLIAM J. DAVIS. 

